A dreaded revenge
by MallowBloom
Summary: Scourge has perished in battle, and with his throne left unclaimed, who shall lead the Bloodclan cats? Dread, a young she-cat, and the only known offspring of Scourge must make a life changing choice… Lead, or be led. Rated teen for mild violence and intense scenes of action. Will contain spoilers. -Mallowbloom and Echotrail.
1. Chapter 1

A Dreaded Revenge

Chapter 1

-The Dreadful News -

A russet, ginger colored she-cat with a striped green and black collar, studded with dog teeth and cat bones lay curled around two small, mewling balls of fur in a makeshift den deep within the reaches of a secluded alleyway under large, revolting dumpster. The she-cat was interrupted from her contented light dreaming by a flash of fur and the noise of paws against cement. She turned her head to see Pixie, a fluffy white she cat with a thin yellowing tail and light green eyes. The scarred white she-cat heaved for breath, obviously tired from her long trek. Crimson red droplets rolled from a gash on her side.

"Pixie, what happened?" The she-cat cried, turning herself around to face the Bloodclan warrior.

"I-I tried to stop them… Too many…" She heaved, swaying slightly.

"Pixie, Pixie, what has happened? Please talk to me!" The she-cat yowled.

"I tried Kietsu, I really did… But there were so many cats… So much blood…" She trailed off. "I am afraid that both Bone and Scourge have perished in battle."

Kietsu's eyes widened in horror, this couldn't be true. "But, without Scourge's guidance, Bloodclan will surely perish! Who shall lead us now?" She began, looking at her kits in dismay. Their small, twitching bodies pressed in close to her furry side.

"The answers to that, I do not know Kietsu…" Pixie sighed, watching her nurse the two kits with spent eyes. "But, the remainder of Bloodclan will be arriving shortly and-"

"Wait, you mean to say that…" Kietsu started.

"Bloodclan lost to a forest of weak, pathetic herb gathering… Star lovers." Pixie finished for her, spitting the last words out as if they were something foul and dreadfully disgusting.

Kietsu scraped the soggy newspapers which served as bedding for her and her kits. She let out a low growl of anger, and bitter revulsion. How dare the cats of Bloodclan lose to such weak underlings that dwelled within the muddied grounds of the forest, which lay beyond the twoleg place?

"A meeting will be held when the moon is full and casts its brightest shades. Until then, our warriors need time to heal." Pixie said, slinking away from the dumpster, leaving Kietsu trembling over her two young offspring.

"What a dreadful ordeal…" She murmured, narrowing her emerald green eyes. Something sparked deep within her imagination. "Dread…" She said once more, rolling the word over her tongue again and again until she was satisfied.

A yowl reached the she-cat's ears. "What misery, the clan is cursed with a horrid bane!" One of the cats complained, returning from battle.

"Bane," The mother whispered softly, her warm breath stirring the small tufts of fur on either of her kits warm, sleeping bodies. She then grinned to herself, pleased with her decision.

"Dread and Bane," She purred, licking the fluffy pelts of her kit's until smoothed and clean.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

-A Bloodclan Meeting-

Just as Pixie had proclaimed to Kietsu, on the night of the battle between the forest cats and Bloodclan, a meeting was held when the moon was bright and full, looming over the streets with a distinctive milky glow.

There was a stirring in the night as shapes emerged from their hiding places, lurking forth into the twilight air. And as if all summoned by cue, the starving cats all hunkered around the large dumpster, which smelled strongly of twoleg rubbish and discarded crowfood, but the strongest of scents, was that of their leader; this was where Scourge had once sat, his place now empty.

A large, muscular looking ginger tom named Marmalade leaped atop Scourge's dumpster and sat himself down, wrapping his tail neatly over his paws. He pulled back his ears, one of which was torn, and began calling the meeting to order.

"Everyone, be quiet!" He hissed, clearly not holding as much authority as Scourge, or even Bone for that matter, for the cats all seemed to barely pay any attention to the ginger furred tom at all.

Marmalade narrowed his eyes to slits and let out a series of shrill, ear piercing yowls. Wincing, the Bloodclan cats all quieted and listened intently to what the ginger tom had to say.

"Thank you…" He said with a roll of his eyes, not meaning it at all. "Now, it is apparent that Bloodclan is in desperate need of a new leader."

The cats all fell into talking amongst themselves, whispering to one another about past events, and a battle with the forest clan cats, which they had been vanquished in.

"To keep order, we must choose a cat that has the same assertive bloodlines as Scourge. Meaning, we are choosing Scourge's pro genies." Marmalade announced.

The Bloodclan cats all turned to face Kietsu. She had been one of Scourge's favorites, everyone was aware of that. But of course, the kits had never been planned. Scourge would have never deliberately had kits, for if he was to have them, his clan would think him soft, and possibly betray him for another leader such as the strong, muscled Bone. Scourge couldn't stand the thought of losing his place in amongst the hierarchy, and so, he had never brought up the topic, or mentioned it to anyone. Meaning that Kietsu was forced to conceive and raise the kits in silence, if she wanted her life to be so mercifully spared.

Marmalade, however, had discovered that Pixie hadn't been attending all of her patrols, and when he had followed her one fateful night in an attempt to find out what the she-cat had been up to, he discovered that Pixie had been assisting Kietsu in raising the kits in hiding by skipping patrols to scavenge for enough food to feed her while she nursed.

Pixie, being the clever, quick thinking she-cat that she was, had lied to Marmalade, telling him that they were the offspring of Fault, one of Bloodclan's eligible toms.

Marmalade had obliged doubtfully after reprimanding Pixie, and trotted away from the dumpster den where Kietsu was nursing her two kits. But, when Marmalade caught the familiar scent of Kietsu on Scourge while leaving him fresh kill that same night, his suspicions had been confirmed.

He could have killed both Pixie for betraying his trust and Kietsu for baring Scourge's two kits in hiding. But Marmalade had a feeling that if he was to do so, Scourge would not be pleased, for he favored Kietsu, and killing her and her caretaker could result in severe punishment. And so, he kept the bit of information to himself.

But now that Scourge was gone for good, and Bloodclan had no other choice but to follow the heir to Scourge's rightful position as leader, Marmalade knew that these cats deserved to know who would be leading them, and what their past leader had created.

"Well?" Marmalade asked his eyes fixed on the ginger colored she-cat with coal black markings.

Kietsu stared at her paws before answering. "Scourge does have offspring, two kits in fact, both of which I am nursing."

The cats began to yowl in disappointment and shock. Their leader: having kits and keeping it private? The very idea was dishonorable.

"I say position as leader goes to the strongest!" A gray tom shouted, pushing himself to the front of the crowd to flex his muscles.

"I say Scourge's kits should be killed, Scourge did lose after all! Who's to say these new ones won't fail just as well?" A she-cat with a voice as rough as ice on gravel complained.

"Everyone, QUIET," Marmalade demanded, getting to his paws, fur bristling.

"Scourge's kin should pay with their lives for sending his own into a battle he knew he would not win!" One cat challenged.

Kietsu wasn't fond of Scourge, yet insisting that he was a worthy leader would help keep her kits, and even she unharmed. "That forest freak blinded him with his words," Kietsu retorted, speaking above the crowd. "Scourge only wanted more for his clan, he was promised a share of the forest in exchange for our efforts, and now just look at where we are."

The clan went silent for a moment, considering what Kietsu had said.

"Then it is settled." Marmalade meowed, disturbing the eerie silence. "Kietsu, since you are the only known she-cat to bare Scourge's young, the first born kit will be future leader, until then, I and the remainder of Scourge's strongest warriors, shall lead Bloodclan."

The cats all dispersed, looking somewhat satisfied, all, but Kietsu.

Kietsu bit her tongue. What had she done? Now her own two kits would be forced to live a life of leadership, and harshness. But, perhaps that wouldn't all be so bad? Confused and unsure, Kietsu darted back to her nest, where Pixie watched over the two mewling bundles of fur. Pixie turned to look at Kietsu with an expecting gaze. "Well?" She asked.

"Oh, my dear Pixie …" Kietsu mewed, circling around her two kits so that they may nurse.

"Hey, what happened? Did something go wrong?" The fluffy white she-cat asked, stepping aside and allowing Kietsu to inspect and nurse her young ones.

"It was decided that Scourge's first born is to lead Bloodclan." She sighed, staring down at Dread and Bane with tired emerald green eyes.

"That being…?" Pixie inquired, her whiskers quivering with anticipation.

"Dread," Kietsu answered, nuzzling the kit that looked somewhat like her, with the same classic, busy coal colored fur patterns but with a paler, greyer looking pelt. The small kit stirred upon being touched, but immediately returned to noisily suckling.

"The… Female?" Pixie gasped.

Kietsu nodded solemnly.

"But, what shall the clan say? Bloodclan is extremely stereotypical; having a female lead after such a strong male will be considered weak!" Pixie said, lowering her voice in case anyone else was to hear their conversation.

"Perhaps, but she may inherit her father's ferocity and ambition." Kietsu said solemnly. "If we're lucky…"

"And if she doesn't?" Pixie asked. Her soft eyes filled with skepticism.

Kietsu looked down at the two kits with worry then turned her gaze back up to stare at the white she-cat. "Then I suppose…" She began. "She would surely be killed."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

-A Mother's Decision-

Kietsu paced frantically outside her makeshift den. The sky was a rich, fading black; the city's lights reflecting on the clouds, making them shine an unruly shade of creamy orange. Kietsu looked up from her pacing. Pixie lay with the two kits, dozing peacefully, and one ear flicking as she snored.

"What shall I do?" Kietsu asked aloud, continuing her frantic paces. Would Dread really be able to lead Bloodclan? Or would she perish just like her father had? Kietsu closed her eyes tightly, But if they were to run away… She sighed; this was the best possible choice. It had to be done if they were to live in peace.

"Pixie," Kietsu whispered, slipping under the dumpster that she called a nursing den. "Pixie, wake up!" Kietsu pawed at the white she-cat's face impatiently.

"Hey! I'm up!" Pixie yowled sleepily, opening tired eyes. "What is it?"

"Pixie, I've made up my mind, I'm leaving Bloodclan." Kietsu whispered, crawling over to her kits.

"W-Wait what did you just say?" Pixie shouted, leaping between Kietsu and the two bundles of fur. "Kietsu, that's a foolish pile of nonsense, and you know it! You cannot leave! The kits have just begun to open their eyes, they aren't fit for travel! And if one of the Bloodclan patrols caught us out…" She trailed off, shaking her head.

"Pixie, I have made my decision, I am leaving. Now, get out of my way." She ordered, stepping past the flustered white cat to pick up her daughter.

"Kietsu, Bloodclan will be left in chaos without a new leader, you must stay." Pixie pleaded.

"I don't care anymore Pixie, what kind of mother would I be, forcing my own daughter into becoming leader of such a ruthless clan? Marmalade is strong enough; he can lead." Kietsu snarled. "But I do need your help with carrying the other one, so you can come with me, or not."

Pixie stared at her paws; she had always had a soft spot for kits, for she had secretly never been able to bare her own, that being the reason she was never able to keep a mate. "Alright," She finally said, padding over to the charcoal grey and white male and picking him up ever so gently.

"Excellent, I know a way to get around the patrols, we can go through the twoleg eat place alleyway, it's not far from here." Kietsu whispered, arching her elegantly patterned back to creep from underneath the dumpster.

And with that, the two she-cats slunk out into the night, carrying with them Scourge's only offspring.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

-The Close Escape-

Kietsu glanced around the edge of a building daring not to breath, one of the Bloodclan patrols paced atop a brick wall, watching over the backstreet connected to the twoleg eat place. It was a large tom with a burly, muscled build that could quite easily take down two she-cats and young kits. Kietsu backed up.

"Is it all clear?" Pixie whispered to Kietsu, clutching the kit named Bane tightly and quite nervously between her teeth.

"There's a Bloodclan patrol cat…" Kietsu answered, craning her head to glance at the massive tom once again.

"I thought you said it would be clear!" Pixie hissed.

"Security is extremely tight lately; everyone is so shaken up by Scourge's death that they want to be extra cautious." Kietsu replied.

"So what do you propose?" Pixie questioned anxiously, holding fast to the small grey and white kit.

"We head around, there's a drainage pipe that leads up the side of this twoleg eat place."

"Wait, we're going to walk on the roof?" Pixie exclaimed.

"Precisely," Kietsu answered boldly, turning tail and tip-toeing towards the rusting, rickety pipe that clung to the side of the wall like a large snake. With a sigh, Pixie followed after her.

"I'll go first." Kietsu whispered, nimbly climbing up the side of the twoleg eat place. Her sharp claws gripped the drainpipe tightly. Once she reached the top, she called down to Pixie, who also climbed up with extreme ease.

"Stick to one side so the patrol cat can't see us." Kietsu said in a hushed voice.

Pixie nodded in response, fearing that if she were to say anything, they would be caught.

The two she-cats stalked along the left side of the twoleg eat place, keeping out of view from the Bloodclan patrol officer.

"We're almost there…" Kietsu murmured to herself as they neared the edge of the roof.

Below the roof, a pile of black trash bags lay in a large heap, providing a soft and easy landing. From there, they would head into a series of small alleyways, which the Bloodclan paid barely any attention to for its lack of crowfood and rival animals.

"Kietsu, where shall we go after we flee the Bloodclan territory?" Pixie asked in a low whisper.

"Someplace safe, Pixie, a place where you, the kits and I can live in peace without worrying about our next meal or Bloodclan patrols." Kietsu responded.

Hearing Kietsu mention the Bloodclan patrol cat, Pixie stopped to look over the edge, to see if the he was still there. She faltered, losing her footing she stumbled, dropping the small, mewling kit.

"Kietsu, the kit," Was all she could gasp before she tumbled down the side of the slanted roof and into the Bloodclan patrol cat's view.

Kietsu spun around to see her second kit flail helplessly as he rolled towards the edge of the rooftop where hard cement awaited him. Pixie clung to the edge of the roof, hanging on as tight as she could as she tried to pull herself back over the edge.

The Bloodclan patrol cat noticed the white she-cat and leaped from the brick wall, heading towards Pixie. "Halt!" He hissed, running at full speed.

Kietsu placed her daughter down and dove for Bane. The small grey and white kit screeched his discomfort as he fell. Kietsu stretched her neck out as far as she could, and managed to catch the small grey kit by the scruff of his neck in time before he plummeted to his death.

Pixie pulled herself up over the edge of the roof as the Bloodclan patrol officer climbed up over the side of the twoleg eat place, growling deep in his throat. "How dare you try and sneak away from Bloodclan in its hour of need!" He hissed, stalking towards Pixie menacingly.

The fluffy she-cat snarled. "I owe Bloodclan nothing! I am loyal to no one but myself!" She yowled, leaping at the tom with unsheathed claws. The Bloodclan tom narrowed his eyes and leaped into the air was well, meeting Pixie in the center. The two cats rolled around on the edge of the roof, the two of them a whirlwind of fur and teeth. After a moment of bloodcurdling battle cries, the tom rolled atop Pixie and pinned her down, crushing her under his muscular frame.

Kietsu watched helplessly, not knowing of she was to save her friend, or her kits.

"You will pay for betraying Bloodclan!" The Bloodclan tom screeched, lifting his paw above her head, claws unsheathed and shimmering in the pale moonlight.

"Kietsu, run," Pixie shouted, squirming feebly as the tom was about to strike.

"But Pixie," Kietsu mewed, holding onto her son.

"GO!" Pixie managed, just as the tom swiped her face, blood spraying into the night air and turning the air acrid and stale with the red drops.

With ice in her belly, Kietsu darted back towards Dread who was mewling ever so softly. She picked her up in her mouth as well and took off, leaving Pixie in the clutches of the Bloodclan patrol cat, who began viciously clawing the screaming she-cat's eyes out.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

-Hush My Young Ones -

Kietsu wandered through the alleys, her two kits hung from her mouth awkwardly, as their combined weight was very heavy. She scented the air each time she ventured into a new alleyway, taking extra precautions for her two young kits.

When she was sure she was far enough away from Bloodclan, Kietsu slunk into a long backstreet with many abandoned, and boarded up buildings. With tired limbs, she found an ideal place to spend the night: an overturned cardboard box. Once inside, she placed the two kits down and gathered some soft materials for them to lie on.

After she had gathered her resources, which consisted of papers, food wrappers and a dirtied cloth, she made her nest and lay down and with Dread and Bane.

For the rest of that night, she licked the kits continuously, making sure that they kept warm as they nursed. All the while, whispering soothing, calming words.

"Hush my young ones." She soothed. "Hush…"

**Sorry this one is really short, but we updated three today so... that makes up for it, right? Until next time-Mallowbloom and Echotrail.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

-Keep up-

The she-cat made her way through the twoleg yards. She noticed that each one had a reoccurring theme, which seemed to say, "My backyard can be better than your backyard, and I'm proud of it."

Each one had perfectly trimmed lawns, each one a vibrant green. Clay pots containing colorful flowers were meticulously placed side by side. Hanging baskets holding dark purple and tangerine colored flora were swarming with lively bees and the odd humming bird. Lawn ornaments of every kind were strewn across their gardens. Such as, stone rabbits, bird feeders, bird baths, plastic pink birds, lighthouses, fountains, and little men with hats.

The she-cat shook her head. _Humans, _she thought to herself. _Always fretting about how gorgeous the space around their den is. _

She sprang on her hind legs up onto another wooden fence which divided each house. She tilted her head. Each fence was exactly six-feet high and had the same light honey brown color. _Humans sure do love their privacy… _She thought.

"Dread!" a voice yowled, breaking into her thoughts. "Dread you know I'm not as fast as you!" A small tom with a dusty grey pelt and a white underbelly leapt over the fence and bounded across the twoleg lawn to sit down underneath his sister.

"Well then maybe you should learn to keep up, Bane." Dread mocked coolly, stretching out on the fence and laying down. The rays of sun making her elegant light fawn colored pelt with black busy markings shine like gold.

Bane scowled up at Dread, narrowing his pulsating, icy blue eyes. "I'm trying, but I tire easily!"

"_I'm trying but I tire easily_!" Dread said, mimicking her brother's whining tone.

"I'm telling mom!" Bane yowled grumpily.

Dread rolled her eyes. "Here, what if I give you a five second head start, would that make you feel better?" She mewed, looking down at her brother with forgiving, emerald eyes. She cracked her small, classic smile that always seemed to soothe her little brother.

A small smile spread across Bane's face. "Okay!" He exclaimed his mood suddenly changed.

"One…" Dread began, swishing her long, black tail with a white tip.

Bane's eyes brightened as he sprang up at his sister, waving his paws in the air rapidly, trying to grab his sister's tail.

"Two…" Dread giggled, moving her tail out of his reach.

Bane leapt again, gripping the side of the wood fence, he began crawling up the side.

"Three, four, five," Dread yowled hurriedly, pouncing over her brother's head and racing across the perfectly trimmed twoleg lawn, laughing.

"Hey!" Bane called, retracting his claws as he leapt down onto the cool, green grass.

"Try to keep up!" Dread shouted over her shoulder, leaping up over the wooden fence with ease.


End file.
